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I got sick and missed yesterday's entry :[ but I'm glad to be back and feeling better!
Today’s animal is... the Greater Rhea (Rhea americana)!!
The Greater Rhea is native to various habitats, from Brazil to Argentina. Some of these habitats include grasslands, savannas, and even deserts. There are five subspecies of greater rhea in this range, but since they are not substantially different, I won't focus on any particular one.
Distribution map of the 5 greater rhea subspecies
Greater rheas are about 50–55 inches long from head to tail, between 4'7”–5'7” tall, and weigh 44–66 lbs. These measurements can differ depending on the area. They have tattered-looking gray or brown plumage that varies by individual. Unlike their close relative, the ostrich, greater rheas have 3 toes instead of 2.
The greatest differences between the five subspecies are physical ones. Depending on the subspecies, a greater rhea can have darker or lighter plumage and be shorter or taller than average.
Greater rheas are omnivorous, feeding mostly on broad-leaved foliage. They will also feed on seeds and fruit (when they are in season) and prey on insects, fish, small rodents, and reptiles.
Some facts about the blue poison dart frog:
The greater rhea is listed as near threatened and decreasing on the IUCN red list.
A group of greater rheas escaped from a farm in Germany and now live in the German countryside.
Greater rheas are closely related to emus, ostriches, cassowaries, and kiwi.
The name Rhea comes from an ancient Greek goddess of the earth.
A flock of greater rhea in a crop A greater rhea running
field in northeastern Germany
comment below if you have any animals you'd like to see in the future! :]
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